Park at the kiosk, 0.2 miles from VA671. Note: The entrance to BRCES is easy to miss. Look for the small sign.

The Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship (BRCES) has seven different loops of intertwining trails. With a wildlife pond, historic homesteads, wetlands, and Piney Run, this area offers something for everyone. Make sure to bring your camera, because there are pictures around every corner at the BRCES.

The Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship is also a working farm, with a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program, engaging the community as stakeholders in the farm produce. The Robert and Dee Leggett Foundation purchased Mountain View farm in 1999 as a home for the Blue Ridge Center and to preserve the land's history.

All the trails are accessed from the main trailhead, 100 yards from the parking area where the gravel road splits to the right. With multiple different circuits possible, from the shorter 1.8 mile Farmstead Loop passing a wildlife pond, valley views, two old homesteads, and several pastures, to combining that circuit with several of the higher mountain loops to form a 6.2 mile perimeter hike.

Piney Run passes through the middle of the property, on its way to the Potomac River. The run has a beautiful lunch spot on a small island where the Old Bridge Trail crosses it, as well as a large wetlands area that is visible from both the Piney Spur Trail, and Legacy Loop.

But whichever combination of trails you decide to do, make sure to print the trail map, as you might miss something beautiful in this labyrinth.

The hike was decent enough and the trails were maintained well enough but they were not clearly marked. There were blazes but no indication which trail was which. I came to a couple of intersections and all there would be was a sign with the equestrian symbol and nothing else which did not help me decipher which way I was supposed to go. I had a copy of the trail map and all the trails intersect so more clearly marked signs would have been very helpful. Also, unfortunately due to all the rain we've received the trails are still very muddy and some were even flooded. Still a very pretty place to saunter thru the woods.

By:
aldikuma

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Date of Hike: Friday, November 18, 2016

The signage is good, directing you to two parking areas - one by the gardens and one a bit further down the road and down the hill across from the trailhead. The trails are well marked and maintained and it's easy to navigate, with not much elevation change. The ponds and historic cabins are a nice break in the scenery, and there's a few camping spots to take a break if you need. Overall, this wasn't a bad hike as you get the solitude and quiet, but I didn't feel a good vibe here. Perhaps it was the fresh chicken head placed at the trailhead (sad), or the burgundy sedan that sped me off the narrow road as I was leaving, or the fact that you can only hike between 10am-3pm on most days Oct-Nov due to hunting (BE SURE you follow this timeframe carefully), but I won't be returning. Ironically, I didn't see one deer or any other wildlife the entire time I was out here, and I hiked most of it.

By:

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Date of Hike: Saturday, July 2, 2016

Very pleasant and secluded hike. Not challenging at all but nice, thick, dense forest next to a pleasant creek.

By:
Lauren

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Date of Hike: Saturday, October 31, 2015

Beautiful drive through wine country to get out to this spot, and even more beautiful views along the trails. The trails are well maintained and marked. Would bring along a copy of the map if you're trying to get in the longer loop, as it can be hard to remember which trails connect to make up the larger loop. The trails close at 3pm on many days during hunting season this year, so call or check online to make sure that you will have enough time to get in your hike. We had the whole place to ourselves the day we went out.

By:

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Date of Hike: Saturday, August 1, 2015

This review is based on my experience today. The BRCES organization generously keeps the facility open for recreational use. I hiked it today following the route shown on this website. There was a group of about a dozen campers (I assume) and some folks at the farm area, but not one other hiker. Some of the trails are generously wide, but a lot of them are narrow (maybe one foot wide) with vegetation starting to encroach. Lots of spiderwebs, so the 5 rating for solitude is accurate. Would have been better on a horse. I saw virtually no footprints on the trails, but plenty of hoof marks. There was a small, but dead copperhead on the Piney Run Spur. After seeing it, I really watched my step. The Legacy Loop was overgrown as was Woodthrush Trail. Streams would rate a 2 in my opinion and I had to walk across wet rocks and through shallow (one or two inch depth) running water for several stream crossings. The is a nearly new, rustic-looking log bridge across Sweet Run on the Arnold Trail. Very nicely done with a flat top for stepping, a handrail, and gabion basket abutments. I was happy when I reached the powerlines because the trail was a wide bluestone road on which I saw a nice 8-point buck. The trails would be better for hikers if they were utilized more or if someone would ride an ATV around them a few times. I usually hike at a rapid pace, but this one took me 3.5 hours due to my watching nearly every step that I took on the narrow trails.